Full Data Controlled Web-Based Feed Aggregator

TL;DR

This paper reviews feed aggregation technology and presents a locally hosted web-based feed aggregator built on WordPress, enhancing it with plugins for dynamic publishing, caching, social syndication, and maintenance.

Contribution

It demonstrates how open source content management systems can be adapted for feed aggregation, emphasizing software reuse and feature extension.

Findings

Effective use of WordPress for feed aggregation

Enhanced features for dynamic content and social sharing

Facilitates control and sharing of feed data

Abstract

Feed syndication is analogous to electronic newsletters, both are aimed at delivering feeds to subscribers; the difference is that while newsletter subscription requires e-mail and exposed you to spam and security challenges, feed syndication ensures that you only get what you requested for. This paper reports a review on the state of the art of feed aggregation technology and the development of a locally hosted web based feed aggregator as a research tool using the core features of WordPress; the software was further enhanced with plugins and widgets for dynamic content publishing, database and object caching, social web syndication, back-up and maintenance, among others. The results highlight the current developments in software re-use and describes; how open source content management systems can be used for both online and offline publishing, a means whereby feed aggregator users can control and share feed data, as well as how web developers can focus on extending the features of built-in software libraries in applications rather than reinventing the wheel.